


Wake Up, Challenger! 2021 (Easy)

by Zinthezinner



Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dungeons & Dragons, Depression, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Training Camp
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29630301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zinthezinner/pseuds/Zinthezinner
Summary: Easy-1: Write a fic featuring a member from the Kurosawa family (D&D AU with  wizard!ruby, wizard!hanamaru, and sorcerer!dia)Easy-2: Write a rare pair(anything under 50 fics on Ao3 for µ’s and Aqours, 10 for Niji)Easy-3: Write a fic with characters aged-up over ten years (Kanapomu with depressed kanata being comforted)Easy-4: Write a genficEasy-5: Write a fic based on the song you chooseEasy-6: Write LL characters in the middle of an idol training session/camp (Setsuna loses her wristband)Bonus-1: Write a pairing you haven't written beforeBonus-2: Rewrite a scene from the canon animeBonus-3: Write a festive story with the girls
Relationships: Konoe Kanata/Uehara Ayumu
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10
Collections: Idol Fanfic Heaven's Wake Up Challenger Event 2021





	1. Easy-1: Wizard!Ruby, Studying Hard!

**Author's Note:**

> It is not required to do the challenges in order, so I may leave "spacer chapters" in between if I happen to do them out of order!

“Ruby-chan?”   
“PIGYAH!”   
  
Ruby slammed the book she’d been reading closed in her panic, head jerking around the see the source of the noise.   
  
“Relax, it’s just me, zura!”   
“Oh, Hanamaru-chan… what are you doing here?”   
“What am I doing here? What are  _ you  _ doing here? This late at night...”   
“I was just… studying…” she trailed off.   
“I can tell. I have to put this tome away, but I’ll come sit with you after, okay, zura?”   
“Mm, okay.”   
  
With that, Hanamaru left the girl to stew in her embarrassment. Her pink skin reddened further in shame, blush reaching the very tips of her long ears. She hoped it wasn’t too noticeable, despite the blue light of the magical lamp on the desk.   
  
It wasn’t long before her friend and fellow wizard returned, despite the fact that in all likelihood she would have needed to find a ladder to return the tome, but it felt like an eternity of feeling stupid to Ruby. The scraping of a chair was acknowledged with a nod, after which Ruby could feel eyes piercing her.   
  
“Ruby-chan, do you know what time it is?”   
“No…”   
“It’s two in the morning, zura.”   
“It-it is?” she asked, looking up at the chubby face of her friend.   
  
“That’s right. What are you doing in the library on your own at a time like this?”   
“I have a test coming back, and I don’t want to disappoint my sister or parents, so…”   
“Alone though? I was in a study group with some of the other students for a while, but I missed you, zura!”   
“Really? You- you missed me that much?”   
“Of course, zura! You’re a treasured friend, and we’re here together.”   
  
Ruby turned her gaze to the table again, pretending to pay attention to the grain of the wood.   
  
“Right, yeah. I’m sorry…”   
“It’s alright. Are you okay though? You look tired.”   
“I’m fine! I’m doing my rubesty!”   
  
The halfling seemed concerned about her elven friend. After a pause, she spoke.   
  
“It’s about Dia-san, isn’t it?”   
“What? H-how did you know?”   
“Call it intuition, zura!”   
  
Called out.   
  
“It’s just… I saw her at the spell-slinging range, and she was casting so easily! I struggle a lot with that stuff, and I always have mine fizzle or miss. She’s such a natural, she’s even in the special course! I want to be like her some day, but it seems so far… I might never get there…”   
  
Hanamaru scooched her chair closer.   
  
“I’m sure y’ can do it. Your atyles of magic are really different anyway, and not everyone has the gift quite like Dia-san! You’re working really hard, and it shows. Hard work also means taking breaks though, y’know?”   
“It’s hard to want to when she’s so far ahead of me, but… I guess you have a point.”   
“That’s right! You’re not working efficiently on no sleep, zura!”   
“Mmm. I didn’t- didn’t even realise what time it was, I was that focused.”   
“Well, there’s no point fussing over it now. Want to come back to the dorms with me?”   
“Yep!”   
  
The two stood, and Ruby knelt to wrap her friend in a hug.   
  
“Thank you very much! I promise I’ll rest well! I’ll make onee-chan proud of me, and I’ll make you proud of me too!”   
“I’m already proud of you, but good! Such a good girl, zura.”   
  
A glad giggle escaped the elf’s lips.   
  
“Thank you again!”   



	2. Rarepair (filler for now)

This is a filler chapter so that I can have the challenges in order in the fic even if I don't do them in order. Expect several more. This text will be replaced when I get around to writing for this challenge prompt.


	3. Almost 30 And What?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is about Kanata and Ayumu (who are married) discussing Kanata's chronic depression. It is set 10 years in the future, with Kanata having turned 28 a few months prior. It doesn't get too heavy content-wise, but it is kinda sad in the middle.

“Kanata? You’ve barely touched your food.”  
“Hm?”  
  
The woman looked down at her plate, the food upon which had been picked at here and there.  
  
“Ah. Has it been long?”  
“I’m close to finishing mine…” Ayumu told her.  
“Right. Um. Sorry.”  
“No need! You must be tired if it took that much out of you to make it.”  
  
To distract, Kanata took a bite.  
  
“Is there… something wrong? Did something happen?”  
  
She swallowed.  
  
“Not really.”  
“Just a down day, huh?”  
“That’s how it is sometimes.”  
“Did you take your meds today? I left for work pretty early to grade tests, so I didn’t see.”  
“I took them.”  
  
Another bite.  
  
“I’m sorry I couldn’t catch you this morning darling! I did give you a kiss before I headed out, but you must’ve been too asleep to feel it…”  
“‘S my fault for sleeping in, don’t worry about it.”  
  
The eyes on her felt uncomfortable, but she tried to ignore it.  
  
“Something’s up.”  
“It’s a down day.”  
“Please, Kanata… you can tell me. I’m here for you, okay? I’ll do whatever I can to help!”  
  
A headache hit with a wrinkling of the forehead, and a teardrop fell into Kanata’s unfinished dinner.  
  
“That’s it, though! You feel like you have to do so much for me, I feel horrible…”  
“But I like doing it! It’s important to me that you’re well-cared-for, so I want to help!”  
“I shouldn’t need help. I’m 30 in just under two years, and I’ve achieved nothing. I was fired from my part-time job after high school, I didn’t finish uni, and every time I’ve tried to get a new job I’ve relapsed. Being a school idol only lasted a year, and part of that was wasted on the ‘break’ we had after Setsuna-chan and Kasumi-chan fought.” she lamented.  
  
It was getting harder to talk, and when she looked up at her wife the tear-tracks down her cheeks met at her chin to spill yet more salty liquid onto her plate.  
  
“I feel like I’m already- a senior citizen, but like I’m still a child at the same time. I can’t do anything right, and I can’t do anything- on my own, and the only thing I can do to repay you is cook. I drain your money, I drain- your emotions, I drain your physical- energy. I’m a leech...” Kanata croaked through the sobs.  
  
Ayumu stood, and Kanata watched with tearful eyes as she walked to her side and wrapped her arms around her.  
  
“You’re not a leech. Plenty of people don’t hit milestones for a long time, it’s okay. You’re not lazy, either! You’re just very sick, and you need help just like any sick person!” her wife reassured her.  
“I’ve been this way for- for 8 years, Ayumu-chan. Am I really never- getting better? Even now, it- hurts…”  
“I know, dear. Sometimes people never fully recover, but I believe in you! You’ll get up to functioning better eventually, I’m sure of it! Even if you don’t, I’ll be here with you every step of the way. Always.”  
  
Sobs wracked Kanata’s body as she reciprocated the hug finally, enveloping Ayumu in return with her soft arms as sobs wracked her body.  
  
“We help each other. You do a lot for me, you know? More than just cooking. You listen to me when I confide in you, you give me advice and information, you give me cuddles. You’re always here for me, and I want to always be here for you! It’s more than worth it for me to take care of you.”  
  
Kanata could only manage a sound of vague acknowledgement over her crying. She still felt useless, but Ayumu’s words registered in the logical part of her brain at least, affirming that her feelings were just getting the better of her.  
  
“I don’t- want to disappoint you…”  
“Honey… you’re not a disappointment. I know you’re doing your best despite everything, and I’m really proud of you! I think about how lucky I am to have married you every day, you know?”  
“You do?”  
“I do! You make me really happy, and I love you so much.”  
  
Hearing those words sent Kanata into further emotional turmoil, joy battling the others in a confusing mess of a clash that caused her to wail louder. Her back was pat.  
  
“Take deep breaths for me, okay? We’ll get through this.”  
  
Shakily, Kanata inhaled for three, held for three, and released for three. It was hard, but she managed to calm herself enough to stop staining her wife’s blouse with her tears.  
  
“I love you too, more than anything… thank you for being here for me.”  
"Of course!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, this bit is exactly 777 words according to my word counter! Lucky!


	4. A Pairing I Haven't Written Before (filler for now)

This is a filler chapter so that I can have the challenges in order in the fic even if I don't do them in order. Expect several more. This text will be replaced when I get around to writing for this challenge prompt.


	5. Genfic (filler for now)

This is a filler chapter so that I can have the challenges in order in the fic even if I don't do them in order. Expect several more. This text will be replaced when I get around to writing for this challenge prompt.


	6. Songfic (filler for now)

This is a filler chapter so that I can have the challenges in order in the fic even if I don't do them in order. Expect several more. This text will be replaced when I get around to writing for this challenge prompt.


	7. My Wristband! (Have We Been Here Before?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is essentially a "rewrite" of that one scene in ep2 of s2 of sip where Nico loses her wristband at training camp and Rin helps her get it back. This version has Setsuna losing her wristband with Ai helping her get it back. I'm putting it in this category because it's not exactly a novelisation of that scene directly, since it uses different characters and dialogue.

Ai stretched her hands out on the grass.   
  
“Ahh, this feels great! This is really a  _ climb _ spot, huh?” she punned, eliciting a short giggle from Emma.   
“Isn’t it just? It reminds me of home!”   
“It’s making me kind of sleepy.” Ayumu said, before realising that…   
  
“They’re asleep?!?”   
  
They were. Kanata, Ai, and Emma had fallen into what must be a light slumber nigh-instantaneously around the girl. Kanata she had expected it from, but Ai and Emma? This mountain air was doing too much!   
  
“It’s only a five-minute break, senpais. We must get back to training soon.” Shizuku scolded, walking onto the scene with an air of surprising authority for a junior.   
“I know.” Setsuna reassured, sitting up a bit away from the others and wiping her face.   
  
A noise alerted her to the presence of a squirrel. It turned cutely, revealing what it was gnawing on. Her wristband… her wristband!   
  
“Huh? My wristband!”   
“Awww, what a cutie!” Ai chimed in, sitting up from her place on the ground to look on at the critter.   
“Right? B-but wait, this isn’t the time! You there! Give that back!” Setsuna demanded, striking a pose and running after the creature.   
  
It was startled. It ran much faster than the idol, who was quickly joined by another. The three sprinted, two humans in hot pursuit of the tiny, agile critter, until it jumped. It left the accessory behind… on a steep slope.   
  
There it lay, taunting them. It couldn’t be reached from the edge alone, which they found out through Setsuna’s energetic attempt.   
  
“Help me out, Ai-san!”   
“Ehhh? Okidoki!”   
  
Holding hands, they stretched out. Ai had an arm wrapped around a conveniently-placed tree, and was struggling to keep the weight of her friend from tumbling as she reached, reached, reeeeeached for the treasure.   
  
Fingers strained against hands, feet against the unstable mountain rocks, faces against the frustration.   
  
“I can’t reach it!”   
“I can’t go any further!”   
“Just… a little more!”   
  
Setsuna pushed herself, she could practically feel the fabric under her fingers, but she wasn’t quite there yet. Just a little more ought to do it! She could do it, surely! It was just… a little further…    
  
“A little more… a little more!”   
  
Just barely, the tip of a finger managed to slip into the wristband. Hooking it up didn’t quite work the first time, but if she could just…    
  
“Okay! Just a teensy, tiny bit more!”   
  
She pinched her fingers around it, lifted, and-   
  
“I can’t do thaaaaaaat!” Ai yelled, grip on the tree giving way.   
  
The two started tumbling down the incline, falling together as Setsuna dragged Ai by the hand. She let go, but it didn’t do much. They tried to run with the momentum, but it was a long way down.   
  
“Just how long is this slope..?” Setsuna questioned, breath coming in bursts with the somewhat-unexpected exercise.   
“Whoa, I can’t stop! I just wanted to  _ terrain _ !”   
  
Suddenly, a tree branch hit Setsuna in the face, setting her back behind Ai.   
  
“Settsu!!”   
  
She caught up, though, feet pounding unstoppably against the treacherous ground.   
  
A log got in the way, and rather than trip over it, the two vaulted over the top of it, slipping slightly at the landing before vaulting over another. A bush was in their path, not that that managed to stop their hasty and involuntary descent either.   
  
Tripping was the final, terrifying straw. The two were sent flying… off a cliff. A ginormous splash marked the end of their descent into a mountain lake.   
  
“Well!” Ai said, resurfacing as Setsuna did and clearing her hair from her face.   
  
“Can’t  _ fault _ you for that one!”   



End file.
